Photo: Robert Jones · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Watson is healthier than 24%
Watson differs from Louisiana on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Watson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Watson
Watson trails towns with similar incomes
Watson is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns, and only 24% of the 9,054 towns with similar household incomes ($73K–$121K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Watson is short on primary care and mental health care
Watson’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fewer Watson adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Louisiana. 1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 4 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer runs high in Watson
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9%), vs 7.5% across Louisiana. Conditions ↓
Stroke and diabetes are less common in Watson
Watson runs below Louisiana on stroke (3.3% vs 4.3%), diabetes (12.4% vs 15.2%) and heart disease (6.3% vs 7.5%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Louisiana 17%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Louisiana figure falls outside Watson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Watson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watson is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 57% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 33%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Watson’s median household income is $96,780; among the 9,054 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$121K), it’s healthier than 24%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Watson compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 6.4% (U.S. 11%).
Care in and near Watson
No hospital or community health center in Watson itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Watson; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10% of Watson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Out of every 100 Watson adults…
Watson runs below LA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Watson residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Louisiana. Heart disease, stroke and diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Watson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Watson adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Watson does better than Louisiana.
1 in 3 Watson adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Watson and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watson | B− | 37% | 12.4% | 15.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Watson adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Watson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Watson is better than Louisiana on 14 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Watson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Watson | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16.4–22.6 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.4–16.6 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%15.8–20.4 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%31–43.1 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.4%10.7–14.4 | 15.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 40.4%36.4–44.6 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.7%36.6–44.8 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%27.3–34 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–11.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.1–9.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7.2 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.4%6.3–8.7 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.3%9.1–13.8 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.5–18.4 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.7%20.6–29.4 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.7–21.9 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.8%31.3–42.7 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.4%4.9–7.9 | 8.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.6%79.5–85.2 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.6%61.1–68 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.5%86.7–90.1 | 86.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%75.5–81.2 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%60.5–69.8 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.7%74.4–86.1 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.2%25.5–33.2 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32%27.3–36.8 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.7–28.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.8%11.3–16.6 | 22.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%8.6–12.3 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6–8.3 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.9–8 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8.1–12.2 | 19% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.8%30.3–39.7 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.1–16.8 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%14–18.6 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.7–8.7 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4–5.2 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7–9.3 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 5.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Louisiana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Watson
Is Watson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watson is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Watson?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 31% and 43.1%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Watson?
Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge in Baton Rouge, 9.6 miles in a straight line from Watson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Watson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–7.9%), against 8.9% across Louisiana.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Watson more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Watson.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Louisiana figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.